Stopping for Directions - Martin Wiles

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Psalm 143:8 NLT

Stopping for directions sometimes took a great deal of courage.

In the days before GPS systems, smartphones, Google Maps, and Siri, finding an unfamiliar location could be challenging. Filling stations offered maps to travelers. Each state map had an inset of the largest cities and showed most of the downtown area’s street names.

But if a person sought county roads, they were out of luck. No 911 system existed. Country residents were assigned a route and box number—which typically weren’t displayed anywhere. Pity the mail person who had to remember who lived where. But at least they knew who their neighbors were.

Asking for directions before the technology boom was common—at least for women. I often sent my wife into a store or filling station for directions—but rarely did I go. Nor were other men likely to stop. Pride was my issue—and probably theirs. To enter a store and ask for directions was unmanly. I’ve been guilty of riding around for thirty minutes—wasting precious fuel in the process—rather than admitting I didn’t know how to get where I needed to go.

Although the psalmist had no wheels, he wasn’t afraid to admit he needed God’s direction. He often got lost on his journeys and knew only God could point him in the right direction. His motto was to trust the Lord with all your heart and let him guide his path.

Pride will cause us many missteps, and not getting directions from God is one of them. If I think I have it all figured out, I don’t need to consult God to see if I really do. But chances are I don’t and will find myself driving around in circles, making the same wrong turns.

Fear of what others think will also keep me driving when I should stop for directions. What will the convenience store owner think if I, a man, stop for directions? Really, who cares what they think? Some will always think I’m foolish to follow God’s will and pray about every detail of my life.

Rather than being foolish, stopping for directions is the smartest thing to do. It saves time and fuel. It also saves us from sinful detours and foolish decisions. Make sure you get your directions from God regularly.

Father, give me the courage to consult you on every life journey. 

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